By Kathy Chouteau
Ever since the Standard’s “Rich Dish” series launched last year, a dish has emerged as a popular community fave: El Sol Restaurant & Catering’s Beef & Potatoes.
Recently, this reporter visited the Point Richmond Mexican eatery to sample their Beef & Potatoes, about which so many recommendations have been offered. El Sol staff said the dish is very popular among customers and is served with potatoes con chorizo—similar to breakfast potatoes—topped with seasoned ground beef, lightly cooked onions, melted cheddar cheese, and topped off with sour cream. Salsa and homemade tortilla chips are served on the side, an all-around hearty meal for $14.
Aside from beef, customers can also order the dish with carnitas (pork) or pollo (chicken) as the protein instead. I ordered all three proteins to share with family members. Suffice to say, everyone loved this dish, with the carnitas version being our collective fave. I personally enjoyed the dish along with a touch of salsa and sour cream mixed in.
As an Irish American, this reporter has a close relationship with meat and potatoes, so was destined to love this dish. My usual incarnation is my nana, Ann McNulty Hanily’s, pot roast recipe with roasted potatoes. However different from my norm, I was thrilled to be introduced to El Sol’s Mexican recipe, with a hat tip to Richmond mayoral candidate Demnlus Johnson.
“So for lunch, if we’re talking about Mexican food and we’re in Point Richmond, I’m gonna probably go to El Sol Mexican Restaurant & Catering. Give me a Beef & Potato or Carnitas & Potato,” he told me for a Rich Dish article.
When I told Johnson the dish was a popular recommendation from locals ranging from Richmond Steelers’ coaches to an Andy’s Donuts’ customer (Melvin Thomas), Johnson said, “That’s because it’s a real Richmond dish. El Sol is literally showing love to La Perla Mexican Delicatessen, which is a restaurant that I grew up down the street from. They used to sell beef and potatoes and were famous for it.”
La Perla was located in the Iron Triangle, operated by the Ponce-Bonds family and closed at the end of 2012, according to Richmond Confidential. Johnson said it changed owners and is now called Lidia’s Restaurant. Although Johnson hasn’t eaten there yet, he heard it’s really good.
The friendly ladies working at El Sol revealed a connection between their Beef & Potatoes dish and La Perla’s. They noted that the family that owns El Sol, the Orozcos, are distant, extended family with the Ponce-Bonds of La Perla. Perhaps as a nod to the dish’s Richmond history, under its menu listing at El Sol is written, “Those who know…know!”
And with that, the tasty Beef & Potatoes dish in Richmond comes full circle.
“Rich Dish” asks Richmond residents where and what they like to eat in the city. Want us to stop by your business to dish? Contact [email protected].
